Intro
Emma Raducanu’s Wimbledon hopes end after medical advice confirms serious stress fracture diagnosis.
London
British tennis star Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from Wimbledon just hours before her opening-round match after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in her right leg, dealing a major blow to the tournament and home fans hoping for a deep run from the 2021 US Open champion.
Raducanu announced her decision through an Instagram post after undergoing a final medical scan. She had been scheduled to face Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic on No. 1 Court on Monday but was advised against competing after the injury worsened.
“I’ve done everything possible to try to get to the start line tomorrow but after a final scan tonight, the niggle I’ve been managing has developed into a stress fracture and I’ve been medically advised to stop pushing through,” Raducanu wrote.
She added that missing Wimbledon was particularly heartbreaking because competing before a home crowd had always been one of her biggest ambitions.
“Playing at Wimbledon, in front of a home crowd, means everything to me, so this is really difficult to process,” she said.
The withdrawal comes despite Raducanu expressing optimism earlier on Sunday during a press conference, where she said she still hoped to be fit enough to compete at the All England Club. However, fresh medical assessments forced a change of plans.
Raducanu revealed that the injury first surfaced during the clay-court season before worsening during her impressive run to the final of the Queen’s Club Championships earlier this month. She played five matches at the grass-court event before finishing runner-up to Donna Vekic.
“Queen’s, during that week, was a lot of load for me. Five matches after having not competed for a while. But I’m just managing it with my team as best as I possibly can, exhausting all options,” she had said.
The 23-year-old remains one of Britain’s biggest tennis names despite enduring an injury-hit period since her remarkable US Open triumph as an 18-year-old qualifier in 2021. She is yet to win another tour-level singles title but had shown encouraging signs of returning to top form in recent weeks.
Raducanu’s withdrawal leaves Wimbledon without its highest-profile British player and is a significant setback for tournament organisers and fans alike. Her recovery timeline remains uncertain, with her immediate focus expected to shift towards rehabilitation and a return to full fitness later in the season.